Guwahati: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly declined at least four phone calls from US President Donald Trump in recent weeks, according to German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ).
The report attributes Modi’s refusal to both “the depth of his anger and his caution” in handling US pressure.
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The calls came amid escalating tensions after the Trump administration imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods—the highest for any country other than Brazil. These measures targeted India’s trade surplus and included penalties for New Delhi’s crude oil purchases from Russia.
Thorsten Benner, co-founder of the Berlin-based Global Public Policy Institute, highlighted the FAZ report on X, noting that Trump’s repeated attempts to contact Modi were unsuccessful.
FAZ observed that Modi has historically maintained a cooperative relationship with the US without compromising India’s economic interests, resisting pressure that other nations might have yielded to due to dependence on the US market.
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The report cited previous incidents as reasons for Modi’s caution, including Trump’s renegotiation of a trade pact with Vietnam via a single phone call and the public announcement of a deal before official approval. “Modi doesn’t want to fall into the same trap,” FAZ noted.
Experts say the refusal reflects India’s strategic recalibration in the Indo-Pacific region. Mark Frazier, co-director of the India-China Institute at the New School, said, “America’s strategy isn’t working. India never intended to commit to siding with the US against China.”
FAZ also highlighted controversies surrounding Trump’s business ventures in India, including luxury towers near Delhi that sold out rapidly. Tensions were further aggravated when Trump claimed to have facilitated the India-Pakistan ceasefire in May, and by hosting Pakistan’s army chief in the US, which New Delhi viewed as a provocation.
Despite these strains, FAZ noted signs of easing tensions. Modi has expressed respect for China following a meeting with President Xi Jinping last year, and analysts suggest India’s engagement with China is driven by strategic interests, not just a response to US tariffs.
According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Modi spoke with Trump at his request on June 17 and again on July 17, in a 35-minute conversation. The MEA clarified that the discussions did not include any India-US trade deal or US mediation in India-Pakistan conflicts.
“Prime Minister Modi firmly stated that India does not and will never accept mediation. The ceasefire discussions were conducted directly between India and Pakistan at Pakistan’s request,” the MEA said, underscoring India’s political consensus on the issue.